Opening Doors in Finance and for the Future

RODOLFO COOPER, B.A., Mathematics, ’00

Cooper is a vice president in the asset and wealth management division at Goldman Sachs.

Interviewed by Amelia Engstrom.

You serve as a board member for many organizations focused on the future, be that education, youth or emerging leaders in math and the sciences. What draws you to this?
There are so many young women and men out there who don’t have mentors, or have a lack of awareness of career possibilities and what they can achieve. Sometimes, all they need is someone giving them a little push, a bit of advice or spark of inspiration. That has led me to get involved in different ways – board service, mentorship, volunteering – to help those who need it. I hope that my involvement helps to inspire someone to start unlocking their fullest potential, and perhaps lead some to sit on the boards of various organizations in the future.

Tell us about your recent podcast “What Do You Do? with Rodolfo Cooper”?
One of the things that I realized through volunteering and mentoring college- and high-school-aged youth is that they don’t know what they don’t know. There are so many career paths and so many types of jobs that they may know nothing about. I wanted to enlighten them and help them see the potential in what they can accomplish. I was able to reach a few students through mentoring or speaking to classrooms, but I wanted to be able to do that on a larger scale. That’s how the idea for my podcast was born. [I asked] people of all different professions or different career paths – including an astronaut, a hall of fame sportswriter, a judge, a barbershop owner and others – questions like: What do you do, and what do you like and not like about it? What does daily life look like for you? I loved it and actually learned a lot from it. When I was younger and at a crossroads in terms of my career, talking to people about their career journeys was often helpful for me to figure out what I wanted to do, and I hoped the podcast could help inspire others in the same way.

“I hope that my involvement helps to inspire someone to start unlocking their fullest potential.”

How have your interests or your focus changed over your years in finance and investment banking?

When I first started in finance, I was working in institutional sales and trading… I’m now advising individuals, from various professions including entrepreneurs, lawyers and professional athletes, and institutions like nonprofits, foundations and universities. The work is more emotional and personal because now I am dealing with an individual’s or family’s money or managing an organization’s funds which are needed and used to help others. The impact is more tangible. I feel like I’m adding a lot more value and it is more fulfilling to me.

Tell me about your motivations for founding the nonprofit organization Rising Stars Capital management?
There is a lack of diversity in finance, especially in client-facing roles. Many people don’t have exposure to the industry and even if they do, those who are underrepresented in this field may not think that a career in finance or “on Wall Street” is something that is attainable. Not having connections in the industry and a lack of exposure and experience are also huge barriers. I created the nonprofit to tackle these barriers and help increase minority representation in the industry.